Brain Cancer

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Ordinarily, a benign tumor is less dangerous than a malignant one. In the brain, however, either kind of tumor can become a life-threatening problem. As the tumor fills more and more of the space inside the skull and triggers swelling in the brain, pressure inside the head eventually rises to dangerous levels.

Cancer can attack anywhere in the head, ranging from the skull and the membranes that cover the brain, to the nerves and tissue in the brain itself. It often starts elsewhere in the body, as lung cancer, breast cancer, or the dangerous skin cancer called malignant melanoma.

Causes

Brain cancer strikes men and women about equally. The exact risk factors are unknown.

Signs/Symptoms

As pressure inside the head slowly rises, headaches and vomiting are likely. In roughly 25 percent of brain cancer victims, the first signs of the problem are mental symptoms such as drowsiness, lack of energy, personality changes, forgetfulness, and psychotic episodes. In others, seizures may be the initial tip-off, often preceding other symptoms by months or years. Speech, writing, and movement may be affected, depending on the location of the tumor. In some parts of the brain, a tumor can grow to a considerable size before any symptoms appear. In other areas, even a small tumor can produce noticeable and devastating results.

Care

To confirm the cause of the symptoms, you'll need to have a complete neurological examination, with tests of vision and hearing. A computed tomography (CT) scan, which produces cross-sectional images of the brain, can often reveal the size and location of a tumor. The doctor may also order magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for another view of the tissues inside the brain.

Medications, such as steroids and diuretics, may be prescribed to reduce the swelling that the brain tumor produces. Other medications may be used to control seizures and relieve pain. However, surgery is the primary treatment for brain cancer. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are often used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that may remain.

• Surgery: Treatment for most types of brain cancer begins with surgery to remove the tumor. The operation is typically guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. If a benign tumor is at fault, surgery alone may solve the problem. However, if the tumor is malignant, radiation or chemotherapy is often required afterwards.
• Radiation: X-rays or gamma rays can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors in any part of the body. When the brain is involved, however, it's important to get rid of the tumor and reduce pressure as quickly as possible, so radiation is usually used only after surgery has removed the bulk of the tumor. Radiation has a number of unpleasant side effects, but often improves your chances of a lasting cure.
• Chemotherapy: Often called "chemo," this type of therapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. When the problem is brain cancer, it is usually used in conjunction with other treatments. The drugs are often given in combinations. They're taken as pills or shots, or administered through an IV. You will probably need frequent blood tests to determine how your body is doing and how much chemo you need. The drugs can produce many side effects and may leave you susceptible to infection for a while.

Additionally, you may need occupational therapy and physical therapy to improve the quality of life while undergoing treatment. Support groups can also help you deal with the emotional and mental toll of coping with the disease.

Risks

Almost all forms of cancer therapy have unpleasant side effects. However, treatment---especially when performed early enough---can dramatically improve your chances of recovery. Without treatment, a brain tumor, whether benign or malignant, will ultimately prove fatal.

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